The drive in, screw out Warthog is just about the only thing available that can provide protection in frozen turf belays and every winter climber should consider carrying one on their rack.

Product by :

Mountain Technology

Season :

Wintery!

Code :

MTE WARTHOG

Description

Just about the only thing for frozen turf belays. Drive in, screw out.

The Warthog was originally designed as an ice screw but there are much better ice screws available these days and it is no longer recommended for this purpose. However they are still a very useful part of the winter climber's armoury as they are one of the few devices suitable for providing protection in frozen turf.

Warthogs should be considered as marginal equipment to be used only when there is no other option. Due to the immeasurable nature of the matrix they are placed in the best that can be said about them is that they are not as safe as most other forms of protection but that they can be safer than no protection at all.

Obviously if a rock or solid ice belay is available then use it, don't rely on a marginal frozen turf belay. However, there may be occasions when there is no rock or solid ice belay available, a typical example might be at the top of a climb where, having overcome a difficult cornice, you are faced with a vast sloping or flat area of solidly frozen but featureless terrain with nothing obvious to belay to at all. Our recommendation would be to go as far back from the edge as you can, if possible getting over the far side of any slight hump you can find. Drive the point and shaft of Warthog vertically into solidly frozen turf by hitting it with an ice hammer until the base of the eye is in contact with the ground. Use two Warthogs if possible, spaced at least one metre apart and one on each rope, and also back everything up with anything else you have to hand such as ice hooks and the pick of your ice axe or hammer. Take a sitting stance between the Warthog(s) and the edge of the cliff, but well back from any cornice, and improve the stance by digging a hole in the snow to brace your feet against if possible. Clip your rope(s) into the Warthog(s) and other devices forming the belay using karabiners and clove hitches and make sure that the tension on all aspects of the belay is as equal as possible. Finally, keep the rope to your climbing partner tight at all times and instruct them not to fall off under any circumstances!

For belays and running belays mid route, as much of the above as is possible should be applied and any possible more solid runner placement above the Warthog should be utilised as soon as it is encountered.

To remove the Warthog from frozen turf, insert the pick of your ice axe through the eye and use it to turn the Warthog anti-clockwise to loosen it, then lift it out.

After use, store in a dry place where it will not go rusty. Warthogs are made of high quality steel and should last you many years of winter climbing as long as you don't try and hammer them into rock, as you will probably bend the point. We suggest retiring them after ten years, or sooner if they show signs of damage that is more than cosmetic.

NB: PPE and EU Directive 89/686/EEC
Although EU Directive 89/686/EEC has been followed as far as possible, this item is not CE tested and thus not certified PPE. This is because it is impossible to test it in use due to the unlimited variations that occur in frozen turf and the impossibility of replicating them in a laboratory, and also of the inability of the climber to discern with any accuracy how deeply frozen any particular piece of turf is.

However, these Warthogs are made for Needle Sports by the same English manufacturer that used to make them for many years for the renowned but sadly now defunct British firm Mountain Technology. This long established engineering works has a wealth of experience in the type of work required to produce them.

They are made from the best grade EN24/817M40 carbon steel available.

Prior to manufacture the bar is ultrasonically tested to check for faults.

Post manufacture, every screw is 100% crack tested using an electro-magnetic system.

On a recent batch we tested a random sample of two screws, which bent at over 25kN on a static test. The test firm tried but failed to break them.

NB!! Though every care has been taken in manufacture, this Warthog should only be used when there is no other option and is used entirely at your own risk. If you do not understand fully any of the terms used in the above instructions then you should not use this Warthog without contacting us for a fuller explanation.

Delivery Information

United Kingdom shipping prices

SELECT DELIVERY METHOD AT THE VERY END OF CHECKOUT PROCESS - ie; after entering your payment details

Standard Delivery 3-5 Working Days

Order total over £30

FREE

Order total under £30

£2.50

Telephone order - Sorry we do not take orders over the phone

-

ROYAL MAIL Tracked 24 1-2 Working Days

£4.99

Priority Timed Delivery (Monday - Friday)Order before 3pm for same day dispatch

DPD

Priority Next Working Day

£5.50

ROYAL MAIL

Priority Special Delivery by 1pm 0-1kg

£7.99

ROYAL MAIL

Priority Special Delivery by 1pm 1-2kg

£10.99

ROYAL MAIL

Priority Special Delivery by 1pm 2-10kg

£24.99

A working day is Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays.

United Kingdom delivery

UK Priority Delivery Services: your order goes to the front of the queue and we will send your parcel the same day if you order before 3pm on a weekday. Parcels will be sent by the listed carrier for the service selected. NB Our Priority Services are not available to all UK postcodes; exceptions include the Scottish Highlands and all UK islands. You will be offered services appropriate to your postcode at checkout.

DPD Priority Services: select one of our DPD Priority services and avoid the hassle of waiting around all day for your delivery. DPD will notify you of your one-hour delivery window by SMS and email, and you can track the progress of your parcel on a real-time map, all the way down to a final 15-minute time slot.

DPD will also offer you rescheduling options, both the night before and on the day, so you can select an alternative delivery date, deliver to a nominated neighbour, leave the parcel in a safe place, collect your parcel from your local DPD depot or participating DPD Pickup shop, or upgrade to delivery before 1200.

UK Standard Delivery Service: we aim for your parcel to arrive within 3-5 working days although some addresses may occasionally take longer if more remote; for example Scottish highlands and any UK islands. Parcels will be sent either by a Royal Mail 48 service, Royal Mail tracked service or by courier. Please bear in mind that most of these postal services do not deliver on Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday.

Will someone need to sign for my parcel?

Most standard service parcels will not need a signature although some parcels, which are larger or of higher value may need a signature upon delivery. Parcels sent by Priority* services will need a signature upon delivery. The driver may leave your parcel without a signature upon request and although we are happy to add intructions to the parcel, we cannot guarantee that these instructions will be followed.

You can add instructions during checkout such as "If out leave in porch" for example. If you request that a parcel be left anywhere where it will not be signed for, and the carrier claims that they followed your instructions, and the parcel has disappeared then that is your loss, not ours.

You will also have the opportunity to add an alternative delivery address at checkout.

*By selecting a DPD Priority service you will have the opportunity to amend your delivery details once the parcel has been shipped including adding a safe place, amending the delivery address and rescheduling to another date or time.

2. Click and collect from us at Needle Sports - by all means come and see us in Keswick. You can select to collect instore at checkout and there is no delivery charge. Orders can be ready in an hour or two but if you are coming sooner then let us know and we will accommodate this. Select Click and Collect at checkout, enter your postcode and click on the Needle Sports pin at the centre of the map.

What happens if an item is out of stock?

You may be familiar with our little shop in Keswick and all our mail orders are sent from here. We keep as much stock as we can manage and restock regularly. If an item is out of stock it is probably already on order from our suppliers.

We aim to contact customers if we are out of stock of one or more items from an order and there is a delay of more than a few days. We may send in stock items initially and out of stock items to follow or we may send everything together when in stock. We will treat each order on a case by case basis. For international orders we will send everything together. Please contact us if you need to.

Do you ship to BFPO addresses?

Yes. Standard UK shipping costs apply if the goods are posted to a BFPO address. Items will be sent by Royal Mail or by Parcelforce. The BFPO weight limit is 30kg. There are exceptions though including war zones and some ships. It is your responsibility to check the BFPO postcode is eligible. NB When ordering, if your parcel should go to a BFPO address in the UK and you must select UK as country for delivery (if any other country is selected then your parcel may not reach the intended recipient and you will get charged for postage overseas!)

Is there anything else I need to know?

We will do our very best to get your parcel to you as expected. If you are out, carriers may leave a card for you to collect the parcel or call them to re-arrange delivery. If a parcel comes back to us due to failed delivery you will be responsible for the cost of re-sending the parcel.

HELP! I haven't received my order

You can login to your account to check the status and shipping information of any of your orders. You should also have received a confirmation email with your shipping details including tracking numbers where applicable so you can search the carrier's website for the latest tracking information.

Customers using DPD priority delivery services will be able to check delivery status and amend delivery details using their DPD email or SMS.

If you have been unable to locate your parcel using any of these methods then please contact us:

International Orders (including Channel Islands)

We accept online payment by Paypal or by credit card. Deliery must be to the same address to where the card is registered. Once we have received your order we may contact you for further confirmation that you are the cardholder as this is sometimes recommended by our bank. We regret that we are unable to take orders over the phone. We do not accept orders where the delivery address is an International forwarding agency or freight company, and such orders will be cancelled and refunded.

Channel Islands Delivery: we will send your parcel by Royal Mail or by courier and a signature may be required upon delivery. To benefit from VAT free shopping you will need to select ‘Delivery to an International Address’ at checkout and then select ‘UK-Channel Islands’ as your country. Priority services are not available for the Channel Islands.

International Delivery:we will use a Royal Mail or courier service which will need signing for upon receipt. Delivery time depends on location but we would expect your parcel to arrive within two weeks. A signature will be required upon delivery.

It is worth noting that some items will be sent in a box for protection during transit so the shipping price at checkout may reflect this. An example would be a sleeping bag weighing 1.6kg which may fall into the 2kg+ shipping price.

If we are out of stock of one or more items we will contact you by email to let you know your options.

Please Note: We regret that due to the current sanctions against Russia incurred as a result of its invasion of the Crimea, we are unable to find carriers willing to transport parcels to Russia and so we can no longer accept orders for shipping to Russia.

International shipping prices

To see how much delivery to the UK is, simply add the items you wish and visit the shopping cart page. We will calculate your costs based on what's in your basket, so we can give you the best price possible.

Unused mail order or shop purchases: UK customers can return any non-faulty goods within 30 days* for a refund or replacement with a different size at no extra cost**, provided that they are in our opinion complete with their packaging in as new condition. All you pay is the return postage. But please note we cannot be responsible for goods that do not reach us, so some insurance might be a good idea! A Certificate of Posting (available free) covers cheaper items, otherwise use Recorded Delivery, Special Delivery or Parcelforce, all of which can be insured for a small cost - ask at the Post Office. This does not apply though to items made especially to your order ie Rab sleeping bags with extra down, Buffalo made to measure, Laminated Maps etc - such items cannot be returned. Rockshoes, boots, clothing etc, in fact all non-faulty returned items, must be completely unused. We have had rockshoes returned with chalkdust on them, boots with mud in the tread, and clothing with sweet wrappers in the pockets. Dishonesty is a rather unpleasant facet of human nature, particularly when combined with greed, and by way of punishment such returns will not be credited and will only be posted back if the customer agrees to pay the postage. Overseas customers will receive the same service except that postage on an exchanged item will be charged at cost. All refunds will be processed in GBP so any refund amount will vary with exchange rates.

Rules on returning unwanted/unsuitable items that you have ordered are governed within the UK by the Consumer Contracts Regulations. These state that if the customer changes their mind because they don't like what they have ordered and returns it then the supplier should refund not only the goods (which is fair enough) but also the cheapest option cost of postage that the customer could have paid to get the goods sent to them in the first place - ie if they chose a more expensive postal option then they only get the cheapest part refunded. As our cheapest UK postage option is £0 on orders over £30 and as the regulations do not in this respect apply to contracts under £42 please note that we will not refund postage costs of any sort on returned goods unless the goods are in our opinion obviously faulty.

* Unused non-faulty items that have been in your possession for more than one month may be returned at our discretion (this will largely depend on whether the item is still a current model or not and whether it is still one that we stock). If the items were originally sent out to you post free we will refund the cost minus the cost to us of the original postage. Please contact us prior to returning any such goods.

** We will do this once - after that you will be charged.

Faulty goods can be returned at any time - please contact us first (017687 72227, info@needlesports.com). Please note that the final decision as to whether the goods are faulty rests with the manufacturer. If the goods are accepted as faulty then they will be repaired or replaced free of of charge. We regret that, because many faulty goods will need to be posted back to the manufacturer for further assessment and await their decision, this can be a rather lengthy process, and the bigger the manufacturer, the longer it seems to take.

On all returns, used clothing and boots must be CLEAN, and this includes the tread of boot soles. Items returned in a smelly, dirty, or damp state will not be dealt with and will be left for the owner to collect at their own expense. NB Please don't wash footwear in a washing machine as this will invariably render any warranty invalid.

UK Customers: We will refund your postage within the UK to a reasonable amount (ie if you have used an expensive courier service when you could have used Royal Mail then we will refund what you would have paid had you used the cheaper option!) - NB we cannot accept any claim for any other extra costs involved arising out of a faulty item, other than return postage).

What We Need to Know: We cannot do anything about your return if we don't know who you are, why you are returning the goods or when you bought them - please include all this information in the parcel, if possible with your original order number. You can print a returns form at the top of this page. It is astounding how many returns we receive with insufficient or illegible information regarding the sender and/or what the problem is with the goods - all such inadequately documented parcels are assigned to a little frequented spot in the office where they can gather dust and cobwebs in peace until the sender eventually realises that nothing has been done about it and contacts us! The contents of any such parcels that have loitered there for a year without being claimed will be thrown away/given away/ or sold to raise money for NECCR, whichever we deem most appropriate.

Some roughness may be felt inside the eye of the Warthog when new. This is not a concern as it is merely hardened red paint and is caused by the screws being hung up through their eyes when they are spray painted during manufacture. It will soon wear off during use.